Perry to deploy 1000 National Guard troops to the border

posted at 11:21 am on July 21, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

Having taken a leadership role in the public debate over the border crisis, Rick Perry plans to fill the operational leadership role as well — at least symbolically. The Texas governor will activate 1,000 National Guard troops and send them in support roles to the US-Mexico border to tighten security, and to send a message about the lack of action from the federal government in the crisis:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry plans to announce he will activate the Texas National Guard at a news conference Monday in Austin, said state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen.

Hinojosa did not have details of the effort, but an internal memo from another state official’s office said the governor planned to call about 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the Rio Grande Valley — at a cost of about $12 million per month.

How much impact will 1,000 troops have? Certainly it will increase the intimidation factor, providing perhaps more of a deterrent than currently in play in this crisis. However, the memo stresses that the troops will be used for support missions, and not provide a “militarization” of the border. Primarily, Perry wants to augment Border Patrol efforts to stop human and other smuggling, as well as make a statement about the extent of the problems Texans face in the border areas.

Hinojosa isn’t a big fan of the idea, which is probably why he leaked it ahead of Perry’s planned announcement:

Hinojosa said the National Guard was not equipped to aid immigrants crossing the Rio Grande.

“They (cartels) are taking advantage of the situation,” he said. “But our local law enforcement from the sheriff’s offices of the different counties to the different police departments are taking care of the situation. This is a civil matter, not a military matter. What we need is more resources to hire more deputies, hire more Border Patrol.

“These are young people, just families coming across. They’re not armed. They’re not carrying weapons.”

Well, someone is, and not just cheap handguns either. The Border Patrol found itself under fire on Friday night from what they think were.50-caliber weapons, not exactly light arms. The fire appears to have been an attempt to suppress border security actions while smugglers brought their human cargo to the north side of the Rio Grande, according to Fox (via Katie Pavlich):

U.S. Border Patrol agents on the American side of the Rio Grande were forced to take cover Friday night when high-caliber weaponry was fired at them from the Mexican side of the river, sources told FoxNews.com.

The weapons were fired at the U.S. side of the riverbank in the area of the Rincon Peninsula across the Rio Grande from Reynosa, Mexico, at about 8:30 p.m., sources said. Bullets ricocheted into an area where Border Patrol agents were positioned, Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, told FoxNews.com.

Border Patrol sources confirmed Gohmert’s account, and said the shots may have been fired by .50-caliber weapons.

“We don’t have any armor that can stop a .50-caliber round, so our Border Patrol agents had to take cover when the rounds were richocheting around them,” said Gohmert, who has been in the area for the last week to get a first-hand look at the border situation.

“When the shooting stopped, about 40 to 50 people came out on the U.S. side and turned themselves in. So clearly the rounds were being fired to suppress every effort to stop anybody intervening with anyone or anything coming across,” Gohmert added. “We have no idea what or how many or whom came across with the other illegal immigrants.”

Sources said they believe the gunfire came from members of Mexican drug cartels, which include former military members trained in shooting that type of weaponry.

That would be a problem that the National Guard could address, certainly, if this incident has been verified — if the federal government won’t react to it. The Border Patrol has been complaining about escalating tensions across the border for quite a while, so it’s not as if the White House has lacked opportunities to demonstrate action. In the absence of leadership, the Obama administration is giving Rick Perry plenty of opportunity to raise his profile, and the profile of the border crisis.

President Obama’s decision to stick with his schedule of fundraisers and photo opportunities amid twin foreign policy crises elicited one of the most disconnected and disingenuous statements you’ll ever see from a White House. …

This points to the fundamental problem with Obama’s communications ethos: He and his advisers are so certain about their moral and political standing that they believe it’s enough to make a declaration. If we say it, the public should believe it.

That’s not how it works. A president must earn the public’s trust. He must teach and persuade; speak clearly, and follow word with action; show empathy toward his rivals, and acknowledge the merits of a critique. A successful president pays careful attention to how his image is projected both to U.S. voters and to the people of the world. He knows that to be strong, a leader must look strong. Image matters, especially in an era so dominated by them.

In the story that quoted Palmieri, New York Times journalist Michael D. Shear reported that White House aides “gave no consideration to abandoning the president’s long-planned schedule” Thursday. No consideration, really? Is this White House so stubborn and out of touch that presidential advisers didn’t even consider tweaking his schedule? Unless the White House lied to Shear, the answer is yes.

There is much to be said about presenting a calm, steady, and phlegmatic front. It’s another thing entirely to go out for a Cheeseburger In Paradise while pretending nothing out of the ordinary was happening. One demonstrates leadership, and the other its opposite. That sucking sound at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the leadership vacuum at full bore.

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The Texas Governor is sending the Texas National Guard. This will help supplant the 30 National Guard Troops already there sent by President Obama. IF Congress would finally pass the $3.7 Billion aid package – perhaps they could work out sending more National Guard troops by President Obama.

Well naysayers aside, I think this is a great thing. I’m glad Perry is doing this. When the Bush administration sent the guard to the border it really did have a deterrent on the flood of illegals and drugs coming in. I hope this does as well.

Make sure they’re armed and have plenty of live ammo, give them appropriate ROE, and let them do what they’re supposedly trained to do.
dentarthurdent on July 21, 2014 at 11:26 AM

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

coolrepublica on July 21, 2014 at 11:36 AM

If you think there’s a problem with that you should see Mexico’s immigration laws.

It’s about time. He doesn’t need congress to pass obamas 3.7billion slush fund/crony graft package to do it either.

Harbingeing on July 21, 2014 at 11:30 AM

Even if only symbolic, Perry should bill DHS for doing what they refuse to do. How any “border agent” isn’t a contemptable abetter of these illegals being assimilated into the United States is beyond be. They are a disgusting crowd of Obama-supporting Stasi.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry plans to announce he will activate the Texas National Guard at a news conference Monday in Austin, said state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen.

Maybe Chewy will be happier when the Guardsmen start sniping the coyotes as they cross the river. Who gives a crap about dealing with immigrants? Go to the US Consulate and fill out an immigration application.

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

coolrepublica on July 21, 2014 at 11:36 AM

If you think there’s a problem with that you should see Mexico’s immigration laws.

By your standards Mexico is pyscho and racist.

darwin on July 21, 2014 at 11:39 AM

Actually you should see the immigration laws in most countries – very strict….
Of course except for most of northern Europe – who are now fighting Islamists
for the very control of their own countries!!!!

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

Even if true, so? Does not the Nat’l Guard assist in situations where people aren’t armed?

The only question I have about this is why Perry didn’t do it sooner.

changer1701 on July 21, 2014 at 11:38 AM

My guess is he wanted to give Obama a chance to do something and when he blew it off, Perry was forced to act. Just to illustrate the point to the American people that Obama doesn’t give a crap. But yes, I would have done it sooner.

Actually you should see the immigration laws in most countries – very strict….
Of course except for most of northern Europe – who are now fighting Islamists
for the very control of their own countries!!!!

redguy on July 21, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Odd that all other countries are allowed to enforce their laws and secure their borders … except for western countries.

Make sure they’re armed and have plenty of live ammo, give them appropriate ROE, and let them do what they’re supposedly trained to do.
dentarthurdent on July 21, 2014 at 11:26 AM

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

coolrepublica on July 21, 2014 at 11:36 AM

So Cray Talk =Racist??

FYI, individuals on the Mexico Side of OUR border fired upon
our Border Agents over the weekend.

God Damned idiocy like YOURS is what leads to this type of
conduct committed against our OWN PEOPLE. Do you have a Learning
disability, or do you comprehend any of what I just typed??

The Texas Governor is sending the Texas National Guard. This will help supplant the 30 National Guard Troops already there sent by President Obama. IF Congress would finally pass the $3.7 Billion aid package – perhaps they could work out sending more National Guard troops by President Obama.

Gebeaux on July 21, 2014 at 11:26 AM

Heh, out of the 3.7 billion, Obama “package” includes less than $100 million to secure the border.
So 3.6 billion is for food and housing – but for how long? If Congress passes this – Obama will keep asking for billions more.

And Obama will never send the guard – that would be an admission that there is a problem at the border. Obama and his sycophants will NEVER admit there is a problem at the border. Harry Reid said last week that the border is secure.

Gov. Perry to deploy up to 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to border
******

American-Statesman Staff

Update 9:20 a.m.: Gov. Rick Perry will announce this afternoon that he will activate up to 1,000 National Guard troops for border duty in the Rio Grande Valley, a source in the governor’s office with knowledge of the announcement confirmed this morning. The announcement will be made at a 2 p.m. press conference at the Capitol, at which Perry will be joined by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

Earlier: Gov. Rick Perry is holding a press conference on border security this afternoon at the Capitol at which he is expected to announce that he will activate the Texas National Guard to help secure the Texas-Mexico border amid the dramatic influx of unaccompanied minors from Central America.

The nature of the governor’s announcement was first reported late Sunday by The Monitor in McAllen. The story quoted state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, confirming that Perry planned to call up the state Guard, as well as an internal state memo, indicating that troop strength will build to about 1,000 members of the Guard in about a month’s time.

The Monitor story was retweeted by Attorney General Greg Abbott, who wrote, “Texas is now adding National Guard to secure the border.”

Perry repeatedly urged President Barack Obama, before, during and after his two-day visit to Texas July 9 and 10, to immediately deploy 1,000 National Guard troops to the border to help handle the crush of border crossers and allow the Border Patrol to get back to the job of securing the border. The governor’s request for 1,000 Guard troops on the border dates back to a 2009 letter to the president.

After meeting with Perry in Dallas, Obama said he would consider the request, but said it was not a permanent answer and that the better option was for Congress to quickly pass a $3.7 billion emergency spending measure to more comprehensively address the situation. He asked Perry to help to lobby for passage of the spending plan, which has not been received favorably by Republicans in Congress. Instead, Perry reiterated that the president really should visit the border and see what’s going on there for himself, and renewed his request to bring the Guard to the border.

Since then, tea party leaders — including JoAnn Fleming, chair of the Texas Legislature’s Tea Party Caucus Advisory Committee, and Julie McCarty, president of the Northeast Tarrant Tea Party — called on Perry to stop “finger pointing,” and waiting on the president to act, and urged him to call up the Texas National Guard on his own and at the state’s expense in response to what they characterized as a dire emergency.

Perry, who is contemplating another run for the Republican nomination for president, was back in Iowa this weekend testing the waters, and The Des Moines Register reported that at a Sunday afternoon appearance at a VFW hall in Clear Lake, Perry said that if the president didn’t act on his request for 1,000 National Guard troops, he would act on his own.

“We’ve sent the message that if we don’t get the satisfaction that the federal government’s going to move and move quickly, then the state of Texas will in fact fill that void,” Perry said.
(More…)
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1) The purpose is only to stop drugs and real human traffickers.
2) They are barred from enforcing immigration laws.
3) It is an extra 1000 people to help point, direct and likely ferry illegal aliens to their welfare checks and Beck supplied teddy bears and soccer balls.
4) It will not deter future illegals, they are already told to find the first border patrol agent to get their permiso slip.

Actually you should see the immigration laws in most countries – very strict….
Of course except for most of northern Europe – who are now fighting Islamists
for the very control of their own countries!!!!

redguy on July 21, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Odd that all other countries are allowed to enforce their laws and secure their borders … except for western countries.

darwin on July 21, 2014 at 11:47 AM

It’s the liberal. leftists governments who believe in a new world order that are not enforcing their borders….funny thing – those will be the people who get their heads chopped off first.

And last time the National Guard was deployed to the border in any significant numbers, Operation Jumpstart, the effort to placate the angry mod of citizens, the Guard mostly shuffled paper and set up flood lights. That is the definition of “support role.” It hasn’t changed…

I hope the Guard is being given the TXUS Rules of Engagement:
1. If someone, anyone fires or threatens to fire on you, law enforcement, or innocents, they are to be wiped from the face of the earth.
2. There are no other rules.
TXUS on July 21, 2014 at 11:36 AM

1) The purpose is only to stop drugs and real human traffickers.
2) They are barred from enforcing immigration laws.
3) It is an extra 1000 people to help point, direct and likely ferry illegal aliens to their welfare checks and Beck supplied teddy bears and soccer balls.
4) It will not deter future illegals, they are already told to find the first border patrol agent to get their permiso slip.

So, someone explain to me how this creates Perry the hero?

astonerii on July 21, 2014 at 11:52 AM

It doesn’t. But he’s using this to build his mailing list and burnish his credentials for his run for president.

1) The purpose is only to stop drugs and real human traffickers.
2) They are barred from enforcing immigration laws.
3) It is an extra 1000 people to help point, direct and likely ferry illegal aliens to their welfare checks and Beck supplied teddy bears and soccer balls.
4) It will not deter future illegals, they are already told to find the first border patrol agent to get their permiso slip.

3) It is an extra 1000 people to help point, direct and likely ferry illegal aliens to their welfare checks and Beck supplied teddy bears and soccer balls.

astonerii on July 21, 2014 at 11:52 AM

As well as helping them until they can get their tax dollar subsidized in-state tuition (not available for American citizens outside of Texas) for Texas schools … since Perry would never want to be seen as the “heartless” monster he called the rest of us.

So 3.6 billion is for food and housing – but for how long? If Congress passes this – Obama will keep asking for billions more.

Actually, I believe a large share of that 3.6 bill is for paying attorneys to advise the invaders and defend them from deportation, leaving just about, oh, 0.6 billion for food and housing….you know how those legal fees can add up quickly.

Part of this is because some Marines who were deployed to the West Texas border years ago shot and killed a young American goat herd on our side of the border. The Marines were in combat mode in ghillie suits, and the boy, not knowing what they were, pointed his .22 at them. They killed him.

juliesa on July 21, 2014 at 11:27 AM

I also read what the people said about the operation… It is to focus on drugs and human traffickers who have been able to blend in DUE TO the massive influx of Central American illegal aliens. It is not to be there to actually hamper the illegal aliens, unless they are drug mules or human traffickers moving their actual slaves.

The other thing is that this is Perry who is more a representative to Mexicans than he is Americans. Being a Texan, I do not think he rates Americans very high, but he does personally rate Mexicans very high.

Unfortunately for your specious argument, there is not one iota of anything ressembling that purpose contained in that request for money.

PJ Emeritus on July 21, 2014 at 11:40 AM

President Obama has offered to discuss adding the deployment of the National Guard to the bill if Congress wanted to add it in order to vote on and pass the bill.

Congress just actually has TO ACT.

It DOES have funds for ICE and Customs and Border Protection and other agencies related to enforcement and border protection.

Gebeaux on July 21, 2014 at 11:43 AM

“Discuss” is another way of saying “I’ll think about it” while getting his way with the 3.7 BILLION dollars to make sure the illegals are safe and sound. Only an idiot would fall for this bait and switch.

My Solution? No one wants my solution. It encompasses reducing the self and looking to the future rather the the now.

The first thing would be to impeach Obama and every last one of his administration lackeys. I would create a single impeachment process for each singular crime. Yes, the senate would not do anything with the impeachments, but if they do it right, they can keep Obama and the rest of his lackeys from having any activity at all for the duration of his presidency. There are enough crimes meeting impeachable offenses to simply shut down the executive branch of government for the next two years if they simply bring a single one every single month.

The next thing would be a state level constitutional convention to retake their states’ rights.

The Texas Governor is sending the Texas National Guard. This will help supplant the 30 National Guard Troops already there sent by President Obama. IF Congress would finally pass the $3.7 Billion aid package – perhaps they could work out sending more National Guard troops by President Obama.

Gebeaux on July 21, 2014 at 11:26 AM

NO $3.7 BILLION for Obama’s piggy bank!!!

Everyone knows Obama would just use the money to more flagrantly ignore our immigration laws and fly more “refugees” (aka “invaders”) directly into the USA…and use the excuse that “it’s too dangerous for them to travel by ground”.

They should…..then the invaders can focus on coming to California where they will find themselves welcome in San Francisco, where county officials are looking at ways to help provide medical, mental health, educational and legal services once thousands of children are released from federal custody there, and Los Angeles, its mayor publicly inviting all who come as a boon to the city’s economy.

However, the memo stresses that the troops will be used for support missions, and not provide a “militarization” of the border.

In other words, it’s a waste of time.

President Obama has offered to discuss adding the deployment of the National Guard to the bill if Congress wanted to add it in order to vote on and pass the bill.

Gebeaux

Obama could send the National Guard to the border today without Congress passing anything. And if he truly needed $4 billion dollars, he would have taken if from other parts of government already by now. Some of it could come from money we send to the countries that are encouraging their people to invade ours.

In short, he doesn’t need any new spending bill. Just more games from the child in chief. If anyone needs to act instead of playing games, it is him.

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

Somewhat plausible scenario: TX NG deploys to border, receives fire, returns fire, firing increases, Mexican Army assets are id’d, taken out, then either war begins, which should completely close the border or the two governments finally get real about securing both sides of the border and averting war. Between the “eithers,” I suspect the former is most likely, considering the ineptitude and fecklessness of both countries’ current regimes.

I am very happy that you hold no power to make any decision about what happens on the border. FYI crazy talk like this is why some people think the tea party is racist and republicans can’t be trusted with power. Shooting is always the answer to every problem.

coolrepublica on July 21, 2014 at 11:36 AM

Yeah, and when you challenged us on the other post, we answered, and you slinked off like the fool you are.

Yeah, that is what the “conservative” Baptists, and church organizations are the ones carrying the load…I don’t see any liberal organizations down their helping the children…just on the sidelines yacking and complaining/whining about whatever they create in their imagination.

See any children shot down their by those horrible Tea Partiers?

You little fool…Perry is managing the best he can, while your “president” is AWOL…

So here is a question you should be asking: Is playing pool more important than the children?